Letters to the editor - April 20, 2013

Published: Saturday, April 20, 2013 at 12:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, April 19, 2013 at 11:59 p.m.

Barriers to voting

In the past, our states and territories were creative in inventing obstacles to prevent blacks, Latinos, or other targeted minority groups from casting their ballots. At times, it was required that one be a male, own property, or present proof of having paid state or federal taxes, or use marked ballots that identified the voter, or passed “literacy tests” that were simple for one group, and impossibly complex for others.

The bills before North Carolina’s legislature variously requiring a photo ID for voters or restricting the voting of younger citizens are a deplorable resurrection of voter suppression that was, and remains, the antithesis of the democracy that in our best selves we aspire.

Rather than return to the days before 1965, where many southern states’ voting laws were particularly repressive, we should direct our energy to positive measures – helping voters to be informed, educated, and committed to the common good. Today’s majority will, ere long, be the minority.

John Gary Maxwell,Wilmington

Old tactics, new terrorism

When Ho Chi Minh led the Vietcong against us in Vietnam, he taught them a valuable tactical lesson. You wreak more damage on an enemy by using up his resources and lowering his morale.

This, he said, is done by inflicting more injuries than death. It takes up to 100 people in the logistical and medical chain to care for an injured soldier, but it only takes a 50-cent body bag to care for a dead one. He ordered the use of mines and booby traps to the maximum.

We saw this same effect at the Boston Marathon bombing. It was not big enough to kill many people, but caused injuries that filled the hospitals and kept first responders busy. The lasting morale effect will be the sight of the injured and amputees for years to come.

The old general was right then, and his theories still hold today: You cost an enemy more in economic resources and morale with the little bombs and grenades than you will with a major explosion ... each method of warfare has its own characteristics and each still accomplishes its goals.

John Battaglia,Southport

Land of the freeloaders

It really concerns me that the land of the free and the home of the brave has become the land of the freeloaders and the home of the brave-less.

There was a time in our country’s history when we were proud to work for a living and objected to taking any government handouts. What will happen when the number of takers exceeds the number of givers?

Right, we will run out of money and will borrow more from China, leaving our children and grandchildren with enormous debt. Also, consider the impact of inflation when our savings, retirement income and investments are worth less.

Jack Rogers,Hampstead

End partisan redistricting

Is there any doubt that our system of government is broken? North Carolina had more Democratic than Republican votes for Congress, yet Republicans hold a 9-4 majority. In Ohio and Pennsylvania, states that easily went for President Obama in 2012, 12 of 16 and 13 of 18 seats went to Republicans, despite the vote being split nearly evenly.

Nationally, more voters voted for Democrats than Republican candidates, yet Republicans hold a 33-seat majority in the U.S. House. It’s only the second time that has happened in our nation’s history. Because of party-driven redistricting, there will likely be little change in the next several elections, assuring Republican dominance despite being a minority party.

This is a brilliant and effective abuse of power. With little in the way of opposition challenge, representatives will continue to be ever more party-driven and ever more extreme.

Without a bipartisan effort at making the drawing of congressional districts less ideologically driven, we are likely condemned to more of the same. We are gradually becoming less and less of a representative republic, and that is not in the best interests of the nation.